


Exhausted

by Bizarra



Series: We Know The Way [3]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Babyfic, F/M, Gen, Just A Quiet Day, So Is Captaining A Ship, i make no apologies, motherhood is exhausting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22339402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bizarra/pseuds/Bizarra
Summary: Motherhood is exhausting.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Series: We Know The Way [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1150688
Comments: 24
Kudos: 79
Collections: Star Trek: Voyager Fanfics (G)





	Exhausted

**Author's Note:**

> This came out of seeing a mother breastfeed her baby on one of the benches in the museum while I was at work. I had to write the scene down so it would leave me alone. :)
> 
> This story is set in the You Know The Way 'universe' and is set approximately a year after Now's Your Moment.

A ‘We Know The Way’ story

It was late morning on a quiet Bridge. Voyager was in a peaceful area of space, the captain having negotiated passage with a friendly species. They’d just left the homeworld of the Kedao, their stores full to the brim with enough supplies for several months and a new ally for the time they were in the galactic neighborhood.

Chakotay glanced to his right and smiled at the sight. Kathryn was hunched in her chair, blanket tossed over her shoulder, fast asleep. The infant she held beneath the blanket was kicking tiny visible bare feet. The blanket moved as the baby wriggled, indicating she was finished eating. He was surprised that the movement of the baby didn’t wake her mother, which spoke to exactly how tired Kathryn was.

She’d worked right up to delivery, even gave birth in her ready room because she’d waited too long to transport safely to sickbay. Had taken barely a week off before jumping right back onto the bridge and into negotiations with the Kedao. That was on top of breastfeeding a new baby who seemed to have her father’s appetite and only slept about four hours at a time. It was little wonder she’d fallen asleep in her chair.

Chakotay stood to move the infant before Kathryn’s hold loosened in her sleep. He glanced up to the Ops station. “Harry,” he gestured with his head, “can you take the baby for me?” When the young man approached Chakotay pulled the little girl from her mother’s hold, leaving the blanket where it was, giving Kathryn her privacy.

Harry took the baby and burped her while Chakotay gently reached beneath the blanket and readjusted the top of Kathryn’s maternity uniform. Once he had her redressed, Chakotay slipped the blanket off her shoulder and turned to Ensign Kim, who was now cooing at the infant. He smirked, “stop flirting with my daughter, Kim.” He lay the blanket over the baby as Harry gave him a look and a chuckle.

Chakotay turned back to his wife and bent to pick the sleeping woman up. He looked to the young man, “I’m going to take her to the couch, can you follow me?”

He gently slipped his arms around Kathryn and eased her out of the chair. She stirred slightly. “It’s okay, Chakotay. I just need a few minutes,” she mumbled as she settled deeper into his hold. He smiled against the top of her head. She needed and would get a lot more than just a few minutes.

He stepped down the few steps to her office, and the doors slid open on their own. He glanced up and mouthed a thanks to Tuvok, who’d activated them from his security console. Once inside, Chakotay walked to the couch and lay Kathryn onto the soft cushions. He settled a pillow beneath her head and covered her with a blanket that B’Elanna had gifted her. Before standing, he brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Sleep well.”

Chakotay stood and gestured to the bassinet that set next to the couch. “You can lay the baby in there, on her stomach.” As Harry lay the infant down, Chakotay pressed the combadge they’d attached to the side of the bed, opening the comms channel to the bridge that Tuvok set up to listen for the baby.

Their mission done, Chakotay led Harry back out to the bridge, where they both took their respective duty stations for the rest of the shift. Thankfully, little Kayda Janeway let her mother sleep.


End file.
